Abstract
Curcumin is a natural polyphenol molecule derived from the plant Curcuma longa that exhibits anticancer, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and antiploriferative properties. Curcumin is widely available in the world, is safe, inexpensive and has multiple cancer-fighting functions that justify its development as a drug for cancer treatment. However, several basic and clinical studies have elucidated its limited efficacy due to its low solubility, high metabolism rate and low bioavailability. In order to target curcumin more selectively to tumor formations and to overcome all the aforementioned disadvantages, various liposomal strategies such as "nanocarriers" for curcumin encapsulation were studied. There fore, in order to enhance the action and delivery of curcumin as an antineoplastic, a liposomal curcumin nanosystem was developed. The in vitro antitumor effect of curcumin and liposomal curcumin was evaluated in 4T1 murine mammary tumor cells and ex vivo studies were performed in a murine model of mammary tumor induced with 4T1 cells. The results obtained have been very encouraging, we have achieved the encapsulation of curcumin, with an encapsulation efficiency of 31 %. Stable liposomal formulations were obtained, which could be characterized, showing that they had a manometric size (240 nm). Both curcumin and the developed nanosystem, at the concentrations studied, were shown to be cytotoxic in murine 4T1 breast cancer cells. Therefore, the developed nanosystem has potential for the development of liposomal formulations in tumor targeting applications for imaging and oncological treatment. Received for evaluation: January 2015 Accepted for publication: May 2015 Correspondence: Radiopharmacy Laboratory, Nuclear Research Center, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de la Republica. Mataojo 2055, C.P. 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay. Tel: (+598)25250901/108; fax: (+598)25250895.Contact e-mail: pcabral@cin.edu.uy
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